


This and that

by nimrod262



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)
Genre: Andy Walker mention, Claire Redfield mention, Dialogue, Domestic Fluff, Lazy Mornings, M/M, Nivanfeels, Nivanfield, Nivanfield writing, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-16 20:47:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14818571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nimrod262/pseuds/nimrod262
Summary: A wet morning in March 2015, Chris and Piers decide to have a lazy weekend at home.  They share some banter, some fears, and some brunch.  They also share the love that is Nivanfield.





	This and that

**Author's Note:**

> This one-off is in two parts. Part One started life as a writing exercise, almost purely dialogue. Then Part Two demanded to be written, this time in my more usual descriptive style. I just wanted to capture the ebb and flow of them talking and sharing the love they have for each other. Your comments, as ever, are welcome. :))

**Pt.1....nothing really....but everything**

The latte-topped head lay pressed against one broad pectoral, whilst slender fingers spread out across the other. But even spread out, they couldn’t span its breadth or depth. However, they could detect movement and the left ear, the one that wasn’t pressed between golden skin and hard muscle, could hear sound. Hazel eyes glanced upward and full lips opened.

“Hello you.”

“Hello.”

“Been awake long?”

“A while I suppose….I’ve no idea of the time.”

“About seven thirty seven.”

“About?”

“Within two or three minutes.”

“How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Within two or three minutes…..most people are lucky to get within an hour. Even after all my military service I can only guess within fifteen minutes or so.”

“I don’t know really. It’s like an in-built program, just ticking away.”

“Ticking. Ha!”

“You wanna’ get up?”

“Not especially.”

The slender fingers found a large brown nipple and rubbed the nub. “You wanna’….?”

"No, just happy lying here….with you….”

“Sure?”

“Yeah, very sure….and keep that hand where I can see it. I know you. Next thing I’ll be moaning and you’ll be groaning and the moment will have passed.”

“What moment?”

“This one, right now, at seven thirty eight, give or take…”

“….a couple of minutes?”

“Make it a couple of hours.”

“Shall I set the alarm?”

“No….let’s go for timeless, huh?”

“Ok, sounds good.”

“Mmm….” Stubbled lips kissed the latte hair. “…..Oh, sorry.”

“What for?”

“I mussed up your hair.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Really?”

“It’s a myth you know. The ‘perfect hair’ thing.”

“I never knew.”

“Before, when I was in the Army, it was really short, regulation. It was just an act, you know, when I first joined Alpha. To give me some character, make people notice me. I thought I was in danger of permanently blending into the background.”

“No chance. You’re too beautiful not to notice.”

“You’re pretty cute yourself.”

“Cute?”

“In my eyes. How 'bout ruggedly handsome then?”

“Ha! Still doesn’t sound like me. Worn and battle scarred more like.”

“Right, that’s my definition of cute.”

“Mwah! Now your hair’s definitely mussed-up.”

“It’s a price worth paying….Brrr.”

“You cold?”

“Hmm, just a bit, on the side that’s not next to you.”

A large hand rubbed the lean body for a while, then pulled the sheet up. “That better?”

“Lots. Thermodynamics, transfer of energy…”

“Hugs?”

“…..and those too. Your hugs are very energy efficient.”

“I’ll put that on my resume.”

“Good selling point. Strong, brave, ruggedly cute….and gives good hugs. I’d hire you.”

“You got me already!”

“Match made in heaven! Permanent contract.”

They lay quietly together for a while, then heavy brows furrowed…

“What’s that noise? Is it raining?”

“Yeah, just a passing shower. Sounds nice don’t ya’ think?”

“It wasn’t forecast.

"Drip, drip, drop, little April shower…”

“It’s March.”

“It’s early.”

“Hasn’t got your in-built timing.”

“Drip, drip, drop, early March shower.”

“That’s it, gotta’ go, all these drips and drops.”

“Sorry.”

“Bound to happen.”

“Have one for me.”

The big hand waved in acknowledgement as it disappeared round the doorway. “Roger that!”

Slender hands smoothed out the sheets, plumped-up the pillows and smoothed out the sheets again. “You’re obsessive Nivans. Yeah, tell me about it.”

“Uh-oh….talking to yourself. First signs ya’ know.”

“Figured I’d keep busy till you came back. You were ages, I got lonely.”

“Aww. Well, I was going for two, and then I checked on the rain.”

“And?”

“You went more than me. Must have been doin’ that snipey thing, keepin’ it in. Ha!”

“I meant the rain!”

“It’s going more than both of us. And it’s not passing. Pissing, but not passing.”

“Never mind. Get back into bed.”

“You’ve tidied-up, and you’ve moved. What gives?”

“I’d like your head on my chest for a while. Do you mind?”

“Of course not.” The large body slipped under the sheet and snuggled down. “Now you can muss my hair up.”

“Er…”

“Ha! If you muss something that’s already mussed up, shouldn’t it end up tidy?”

“Experience tells me it just ends up more mussed than before.”

“Well my life was mussed up before I met you. Now it’s pretty tidy.”

“Are you implying I mussed up your life more than it was?”

“Um, I’m losing track of the musses.”

“Nicely got out of Babe.”

“All I’m saying is you did a good thing…..thank you Ace.”

“My pleasure….mwah.”

“Hey, careful with the hair. You might un-muss it!”

“Mwah, mwah, mwah…..there, back to normal.”

“Ruggedly handsome?”

“Cute.”

“Should I try and grow it?”

“No! That would look weird.”

“Oh. How 'bout really short?”

“Better than long, but still no.”

“Shaved?”

“You’d look like the baddie in Thunderbirds.”

“So No then?”

“No, it’s fine the way it is.”

“Good, I didn’t really wanna’ change it. Just thought you might be bored with it.”

“Never, it is you.”

“Cute?”

“Hmm, more rugged.”

“Is it still raining? Can’t see from here.”

“Yup, still passing down.”

“Ha! No hiking today then.”

“What! My Action Man put off by the rain. Oh the shame!”

“My plastic might shrink.”

“Are you the one with posable limbs, and swiveling eyes?”

“I don’t know about the eyes, that’s more your….”

“Ok, Ok, I knew as soon as I said it.”

“Heh, heh. It’s nice down here. I’m not squashing you am I?

"No. I’ll survive.”

“You’re good at that.”

“We both are.”

“Twice the fun.”

“Hmm, you warm enough up there? Snuggle down if you want.”

“I’m fine. Gives me a chance to look at you in repose.”

“Ooh, is that good?”

“Always. The lines in your face soften when you’re asleep.”

“I’m awake.”

“Well, relaxed then, drifting on the edge of sleep.”

“Life on the edge, sleep on the edge. You sure I’m not too heavy?”

“I’m tougher than I look.”

“I know. I realized that after…when….you….”

“Remember the rules. We don’t talk about work, and we don’t talk about….”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. Try and see it like I do. A starting point, from which we only look forward.”

“I never expected to get this far till I first met you, well, after your interview. When I thought we might have an adventure. Hoped we’d have a future, something…..I wasn’t sure what.”

“Not disappointed?”

“Never….well, just one thing perhaps.”

“What’s that?”

“That Ma and Pa weren’t around to see it, to see us.”

“They know Babe, in here.” he kissed the brown hair once more.

“Yeah. They’d like, no, love, how you’re so good for me.”

“You’ve been pretty good for me too.”

“It takes two……”

“……when it used to take one. You remember that song?”

“Sure, I remember all our songs. Well, they were your songs I guess. I sorta’ adopted them. Ha!”

“They all had you in mind, so they are shared.”

“Nice. Anyway, where are we going, from that unmentionable starting point? Are we there yet? Your eyesight’s better than mine.”

“Oh, there isn’t an end. It’s just ongoing, that adventure you hoped for, that future.”

“Always on the edge?”

“Sometimes. Sometimes not.”

“I’m trying to visualize it. But it all gets a bit fuzzy.”

“That’s because it’s unknown, that’s the adventure.”

“Could be fun.”

“It will be, trust me.”

“I do…..Ahh, this is bliss….sleep on the edge…”

“Babe?”

“ZZzzzz!”

“Very funny!”

“Zzzz…”

“Oh, you really are asleep, my beautiful, cute Captain.”

Piers stroked the untidy brown hair, kissed it once more, then drifted off himself…..

 

**Pt.2....trivial, and not so trivial, pursuits**

 

......Piers awoke to see brown eyes directly opposite his. Two pinpoints of light indicated they were watching him intently. Somehow, he slowly realized, he had ended up on a level with Chris whilst they had been asleep.

"How did I get here?" he said drowsily.

"You were shivering, and, er, I had a nightmare."

Piers was immediately awake and alert, his voice full of concern. "You did? Are you Ok Babe?"

"Yeah, I did what you told me to do, wake myself up from it; when it got...."

"Hush, it's all right now."

But Chris wanted to talk it through, so Piers let him. Better out than in.

"....It was weird. We were sleeping in a tent, on a mountain side, right on the edge of a big drop."

Piers cursed himself for using for using the word 'edge' earlier. He never knew what might lead to one of Chris' attacks. An image, a song, or, like now, a single word. Much as he wanted to, he knew he couldn't wrap his Captain in cotton wool. But what he could do was limit the damage if and when such an event occurred.

Piers smiled reassuringly. "Life on the edge see? Like we talked about earlier, that's all."

"Oh yeah. Well, then there was this earthquake or something, the ground was shaking. Then there was this deep rumble, it was an avalanche. I threw myself over you just before it hit, and that's when I forced myself to wake up."

"Good thing too." Piers had encouraged Chris to do this; anything to prevent a nightmare from prolonging and possibly triggering a PTSD event.

"So what did it mean Ace?"

Piers didn't know what it meant. He was an expert in many things, but reading dreams and nightmares wasn't one of them, if indeed such a thing were even possible. However, Chris was now looking to him for an answer, and it was Piers' self-appointed duty to find one.

"Hmm, the earth shaking, that was probably just me shivering."

"Ah, yes, I see! And the rumbling?"

"Well, that was either your stomach, or mine, probably both, heh, heh. I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. Listen, here it goes again."

Chris put his head to Piers' belly. "Ha, ha, ha! Oh Piers, where would I be without you?"

"Ain't gonna' happen, I'm sticking to you like glue." Piers was keen to change the subject now. If Chris got past the bad dream quickly, it would just as quickly be forgotten. "It's a quarter past ten, would you like brunch?"

"In a while. It's nice just lying here and listening to you gurgling." Chris kissed the flat abdominals, his tongue running down the trail of fine curly hairs. "Fancy me thinking it was an avalanche!"

"Well the mind plays funny tricks when you're in REM sleep. And anyway, it was probably one of your gurgles, they're louder than mine."

"The stuff of nightmares, ha!"

"Just a series of easily explained co-incidences Babe." Piers lied. "I wouldn't lose any sleep over it."

"Was that meant to be a joke?"

"Um, yeah."

"Dreadful!"

"My usual standard then?"

"Up there with the best." Chris chuckled. "Ooh, another gurgle."

"That was definitely you!"

"Probably, sounded like thunder....is it still passing down outside?"

Piers craned his neck to get a view out of the window. "Yeah, looks like it's here for the duration."

"Great! Then we can slop about at home all day. Um, there's nothing on the agenda is there?"

"No."

Chris and Piers had let it be known that their weekends were special. If nothing had been arranged by Friday lunchtime, either by themselves or their colleagues, then it was taken as read that they wanted to remain undisturbed during the weekend. Their 'own' time together was so precious. And their friends quickly understood. They hadn't been together long, and they were, after all, still very much in love. Andy Walker, Alpha's grizzled sergeant, had considered taking bets on how long the relationship would last. But he'd soon realized that the odds were stacked against him, and that would they would remain so. And he knew he couldn't take the hit, financially or, if Chris found out, physically.

"Good! What's the time again?"

"Ten twenty three."

"Give or take a couple of minutes?"

"No, exactly....I'm looking at the bedside clock."

"Ha, ha, ha! Then let's have another hour here snuggling; then do brunch like you said. After that we can come back to bed till we start gurgling again."

"Sounds like a plan."

"I'm good at plans."

"Heh, heh, nice one!"

"That wasn't a joke Piers! I was serious."

"Oh, sorry."

"Gotcha!"

They lay in each other's arms, talking idly about the little things in life, the trivia. Tings that were seemingly insignificant to outsiders, but which they knew cemented their bond ever tighter.

And they delighted in one another's bodies. Piers had thought he knew Chris' very well, and on a macro scale, he did, based on careful and unobserved observation over the years. But when that body was only inches away, Piers found the detail breathtaking. The freckles, the tiny nicks and scars, the pattern of skin pores. They all told a story and Piers found he couldn't put the book down.

Chris too, delighted in his partner's form. He'd always known Piers had a lithe body. And that cute butt, he'd seen it running, crawling, climbing, in front of him on Ops so many times. But to see and hold the whole deal, to delight at how the muscles flexed and flowed, giving shape to that lean frame. He sometimes thought his own body cumbersome, and inelegant compared to Piers' but his Ace seemed to like it, and that was all that mattered.

It was only when Piers had to go to the bathroom that Chris reluctantly decided it was time to rise and fuel up. He felt guilty about having a lazy day, he knew people would imagine him up before dawn, running ten miles before two hours weights and a carrot juice for breakfast. But he also knew Piers could keep a secret, and besides, he did all those things weekdays.

"What are you grinning at?" Piers stood in doorway looking at him.

"Just thinking about my training regime."

"Sounds work related to me, and we..."

".....don't talk about work at home. So problem solved."

"And the guilty conscience."

"Hey, how'd you know about that?"

"Cos' that was the 'guilty' grin you were wearing just then. I can read you like a book."

"Didn't think Grunts could read."

"Watch it Fly Boy."

"I am. You gonna' put any clothes on?"

"Hmm, what ya' got? Oh, this is nice, sniff." Piers picked one of Chris' sweatshirts from a pile in the closet.

"Er, I've been wearing that all week Ace. It hums."

"Yeah, I know, sniff. Woof."

"Weird Californian kid."

"Uptight old Orygun. What else ya' got?"

"No, you're not wearing my shorts, unless I'm in them."

"They're big enough."

"Oi! Just for that, you're doing the cooking."

"No probs, I was going to anyway. I want a meal, not just food. Got any pants?"

"The grey ones, they're humming too."

"Humming what? Madonna? I heard you in the garage gym....'Like a virgin, touched for the very first time." Piers imitated Chris' deep voice. "Heh, heh, some virgin!"

"Piers, remind me again why I love you.....?"

Piers turned around, dropping Chris' jogging pants and wiggling his backside.

".......Oh yeh, that was it."

****************************

They hadn't stocked up yet this weekend; and Piers realized the way it was going they probably wouldn't. He opened the chest freezer in the utility room and smiled. When Chris went shopping for food he bought fuel. Coal for the furnace that was his metabolism. When Piers went, he bought ingredients. Things that he would combine and create a meal from. He preferred to buy fresh, but with their hectic lifestyle that wasn't always possible, so the freezer held stocks of frozen substitutes, for emergencies and sloppy weekends, like this one.

"Asparagus, asparagus....ah, there you are. Ooh, mushrooms too, I'd forgotten about you. Out you come."

"Still talking to yourself Ace?"

"I'm a good listener."

"Is there no end to your talents?"

"No."

"Like your modesty, boundless."

"Pretty much."

"Good job you're not wearing my hat too, you'd stretch it."

"I've never seen you wear a hat."

"It's a woolen one, a beanie, like Finn's. Green, with a white stripe."

"Gah, that's created an image now, one that won't go away."

"He's a good kid."

"With a bad taste in headgear."

"Still a hero."

"Yeah. He grew up quickly in Edo...." Piers stopped short. 'Damn, the E word!' he said to himself, cursing.

"Wish I'd been there to see it."

"Chris, remember our rules?"

"They're our boys. I'd make an exception for them any day. And so would you, you know it."

"Yes, I would. But I also don't want you reliving the past, not when it still hurts you. Forwards, remember?"

"Piers...." the voice suddenly soft, vulnerable.

"Yes?"

".....what's for brunch?"

"Chris...."

"Yeah?"

".....wait and see!"

****************************

"Babe, would you get the fire going please, then lay up."

"Do we need the fire, if we're going back to bed?"

"I need the fire, unless you're gonna' sit and hold me close. In which case it will be difficult to eat."

"Hmm, I could think of something to chew on."

"I could think of something to nibble as well, but we'll save that for later shall we?"

"How 'bout an appetizer?"

"How 'bout that fire?"

"Tch! You're a hard master."

"I will be."

"I meant like stiff."

"I know what you meant Chris. Now make with the firelighters whilst I make with the skillet."

"Make out?"

"You're both similar, hot and greasy."

"Oi!"

"Fire, now!"

"Ha, ha, ha! I love all this sparring. It reminds me of Claire. Jeez, what did I do with my time before I met you Ace?"

"You were waiting Babe, like I was."

"What for?"

"Each for the other of course."

"That simple?"

"Has to be for you!"

"Ha! Wait! What did you say?"

"Gotcha!"

****************************

"Sniff! Hmm, that smells nice!"

"I'm frying up the garlic.....how's that fire going?"

"Er, it's going now, don't worry."

"Why _now_?"

"Um, I blew on it, to give it start."

"And?"

"I, er, I blew the firelighter out." Chris replied in an embarrassed whisper

"Sorry, I didn't hear you...you did what?"

"I BLEW THE FIRELIGHTER OUT, OK?"

"Heh, heh, I thought that's what you said."

"Bastard." Chris said under his breath.

"I heard that!"

"So sue me. What's next Oh Master?"

"Is the table laid?"

"Can't we eat on our laps? It's only brunch."

"This is not any brunch, it's Salmón con espárragos y huevos revueltos."

"Parrots and something revolting?"

"It's a Spanish recipe, salmon, asparagus and scrambled eggs."

"No revolting parrots?"

"Fraid not, we're fresh out."

"Ha! It sounds, and smells, lovely Ace. Tell you what, I'll open a bottle of wine, if we can have it on out laps in front of the fire. You'll be warmer there, and we can cuddle. Deal?"

"You smooth talker you. Ok, I'll cut the salmon smaller, easier to eat. Ready in five minutes."

"Give or take?"

"No, exactly. There's a chardonnay in the refrigerator."

"Pennsylvanian salmon, Spanish meals, Californian wine, so that's where the housekeeping goes."

"You make it sound like the United Nations."

"We are the United Nations Ace, well, kinda'."

"That's all right then. This is our splurge for the week."

"Splurge?"

"You know, naughty calories, unhealthy fats, frying, alcohol."

"Well I won't tell if you don't. Besides we'll burn it off later.

"Hmm, I'm not sure sex is part of a calorie controlled diet."

"Well if you don't want to...."

"Ok, but strictly in the interest of science."

"That's my Boy!"

Piers walked into the living room from the kitchen.

"Oh wow Babe! Candles, roaring log fire, blanket in front of the hearth. You've been busy!"

"You deserve it. It's a thank you, for seeing me through that bad dream earlier. You need looking after too Piers, I'm not that good at it yet, but I'm learning. I've got a good teacher, best in the BSAA."

Piers went to speak, but Chris put a finger to his lips. "Shh. I know we're on that edge, looking forward. But it doesn't mean we can't stop now and again. Have a look around, see where we are, and how far we've got....." He brushed a hand against Piers' cheek. ".....take-in the view, and enjoy it."

Stubbled lips brushed against full ones. Large hands held the latte-topped head gently, tongues met.

"I love you Piers Nivans."

"You're not so bad yourself......"

 


End file.
